This invention relates generally to the field of live audiovisual presentations given by an author, lecturer or moderator, referred to generally herein as a presenter. More particularly, it concerns slide presentations in which one or more oral sidebars featuring a monologue, a dialog or both are extemporized during an otherwise canned presentation.
In support of lectures, oral presentations and other classroom activities the use of visual aids is common practice. Historically, the blackboard and later the overhead projector with transparencies were used. With the advent of the modern computer, computer projected statements and images are now dominating this practice. Software most commonly used is called Power Point™ for PC's and Slide Show™ for Apple® computers. The use of these software programs, which will be referred to herein generically as slide sequencers, has dramatically improved these oral presentations in many ways.
However, the use of these software programs has also created a serious problem. Often the slide sequencer controls the lecture in a detrimental way. Many presenters simply read the script on the screen, losing valuable contact and interest with the audience. Many recipients of the oral presentation are left with boredom and loss of interest and retention.
There is no spontaneity in the presentation.
Even in modern television broadcasts, where a journalist's or commentators or forecaster's voice might be closed-captioned for the hard-of-hearing, the speaker typically reads from a script fed visually by a teleprompter and the speaker's voice is captured and captioned by a so-called stenocaptioner, i.e. a fancy court reporter with a stenography keyboard. Thus, there is no voice recognition, there is typically no spontaneity, there is no live-audience interaction and there is no storing of an augmented audiovisual (AV) presentation for later review, edit or publication.
Thus, the television audience goes to sleep.
Historically, the first use of visual aids in support of oral presentations and lectures was the use of written text and graphics on “poster board” type displays. The use of the “black boards and chalk” has been the most common form of visual aid for more than a hundred years. Recently, “black boards and chalk” have been replaced with “white boards and ink”, which of course is very similar ‘technology.’ More recently, overhead projectors and transparencies have become a popular form of visual aids used in lectures. This ‘technology’ had the added beneficial effect of allowing the speaker to reuse the individual visual aid transparency frames. This saved time in preparation and allowed the speaker to repeat the presentation with no additional preparation time. In addition, transparencies could contain graphics as well as text to increase interest and retention of the oral presentation by the live audience. However, the use of the overhead projector and transparencies is a “static” system. That is, during the presentation, each individual transparency frame content is fixed and does not change before, during or after the presentation.
Upon widespread adaptation and use of the modern computer, the methods used as visual aids during oral presentations have changed dramatically. Using the computer and a computer projector, many useful visual aid software programs have been developed. Software programs that provide slide sequencer functionality are in widespread use today. There are other commercially available computer visual aid software programs but most skilled in the art use Power Point™ or Slide Show™ software programs. Computerized visual aid use has additional advantages beyond the use of the overhead transparency projector. Unique graphics and motion features can be added to individual visual aid frames resulting in increased viewer attention and retention of the lecture. However, even with the use of these computer methods the visual aids remain “static” in their use. As before, unless the presenter re-programs the individual visual aid frames using the software program, based upon live presentation interaction with the audience members, each frame remains the same, as does each successive presentation.
And even the live audience goes to sleep.